Mess cooking under OP Ryan, mess deck M.A. as any Coral Sea sailor will tell, was a unique experience. He was a legend aboard the ship in those days. Ryan always had an ace up his sleeve to keep ahead of the men temporarily and begrudgingly assigned to his ....care. I was one, and during my 3 months of T.A.D. had the memorable experience of all possible duties that this detail can assign. From dumping chow on passing mess trays,…